Metering means



May 9, 1967 G. v. MOMMSEN METERING MEANS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 26,1965 METERING MEANS I Filed Feb. 26, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.GORDON KMoMMsEN AvraRNEKr y 9, 1967 G. v. MOMMSEN 7 3,318,641

METERING MEANS Filed Feb. 26, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet a IN VEN TOR. GoOo/VKMaA/IMJEN BY%ZU%M AT roR/vsYr United States Patent 3,318,641METERING MEANS Gordon V. Mommsen, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to PossisMachine Corporation, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of MinnesotaFiled Feb. 26, 1965, Ser. No. 435,430 Claims. (Cl. 302-49) Thisinvention relates to an apparatus and method for transporting meteredamounts of fluid material such as liquids, aerosols, or powdered solids.More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus forcontinuously metering quantities of fluidized finely divided solids intomoving air streams for transportation to a discharge location.

Numerous devices have been developed for transporting powdered materialwith the use of moving air. These prior devices have not been entirelysatisfactory as they are designed for particular types of dischargenozzles and in operation do not deliver a uniform concentration ofpowdered material at the discharge outlet of the device. These priorfeeding and metering devices are equipped with a hopper for receivingpowdered or granular material and with metering or pumping structuresfor transferring the material into a stream of moving air. The air isused to carry the powdered material to a discharge nozzle. In thesedevices the flow of powdered material from the hopper into the pumpingstructures is uneven and irregular as the powdered material tends tobridge in the hopper or clog the discharge opening between the hopperand the pumping structure.

It is the object of this invention to avoid the disadvantages of theprior metering and feeding devices by providing an improved apparatusand method for feeding and metering fluid material at a controlled andpredetermined rate into moving air for transportation to materialdischarge means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fluid material feedingapparatus with means for varying the amount of material metered into amoving carrier fluid independently of the pressure of the carrier fluid.

Another object of the invention is to provide a finely dividedparticulate material feeding apparatus which is usable with differenttypes of nozzle designs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fluid material feedingapparatus which is capable of discharging an even flow of fluid materialto a plurality of discharge nozzles.

A further object of the invention is to provide a metering deviceoperable to positively and simultaneously place controlled quantities offluid material into a plurality of moving air streams.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a metering device withadjustment means for controlling the rate of flow of fluid material intoa moving stream of air and thereby regulate the concentration of thematerial carried by the moving air stream.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, this inventioncomprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims. The following description sets forth indetail a particular illustrative embodiment of the invention, this beingindicative, however, of but one of the various ways in which theprinciples of the invention may be employed.

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which thesame numerals refer to corresponding parts and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of the feeding and meteringapparatus of this invention with the metering unit shown in section;

3,318,641 Patented May 9, 1967 FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view ofthe apparatus of FIGURE 1 with part of the tank broken away to show themetering unit;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 3-3 ofFIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIGURE3; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the metering unit ofFIGURE 3.

Referring to the drawings there is shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 the feedingand metering apparatus of this invention indicated generally with thenumber 10. This apparatus functions to discharge continuous and uniformconcentrations of fluid material which may include liquids, aerosols andparticulate or powdered solids. To illustrate one use of the apparatus10 the fluid material is a finely divided epoxy resin which isdischarged to a plurality of nozzle members indicated generally at 11.The resin is dispensed by the nozzle members 11 onto heated surfaces tocoat and insulate the surfaces with the particulate resin.

The apparatus 10 supplies the nozzle members 11 with continuous flow andmetered concentration of the fluid material carried in separate streamsof air. The pressure of this carrier air may be varied independently ofthe metering operation of the apparatus 10. This permits the use of awide variety of nozzle members. For example, the nozzle members 11 maybe of the Venturi type, V-tube type, straight tube type, as well asother conventional types of nozzle design adapted to receive anddischarge a uniform supply of air and particulate material.

The feeding and metering apparatus 10 comprises a tank 12 for storing asupply of fluid material 13 such as a finely divided epoxy resin, dryplaster, cement, and similar powdered material. The fluid material 13 isa finely divided solid suspended in air above a horizontal ceramicfilter 14 having a plurality of very small vertical holes; A continuoussupply of air is supplied to the bottom of the tank 12 through an airinlet 16. This air uniformly moves through the holes in the filter 14causing the material 13 to float or be carried by the air so that it issimilar to a colloidal suspension of particulate material. The air flowsupwardly through the tank chamber and is dis charged to the atmospherethrough an outlet passage 17 formed by a tubular member 18 secured tothe top section of the side wall of the tank 12.

The fluid material 13 in the tank 12 is discharged as continuous streamsof particulate material suspended in air to the nozzle members 11 by ametering unit 19 operated by a drive means 21. The metering unit 19receives a supply of air under pressure through inlet tubular members 22as pipes or hoses. In operation the metering unit 19 mixes predeterminedamounts of the suspended particulate material into the air receivedthrough the inlet tubular members 22 and discharges this air along withmetered amounts of particulate material into outlet tubular members 23connected to the nozzle members 11.

The top of the tank 12 is closed with a cover 24 having a downwardlyprojected peripheral flange 26 extended around the outside of the top ofthe tank. A horizontal plate 27 secured to the lower side of the cover24 projects into the tank. A plate or support member 28 extendedsubstantially parallel to one wall of the tank projects downwardly fromthe horizontal plate 27 and is secured thereto by a pair of gussetmembers 29. As seen in FIG- URES 1 and 2, the plate 28 extendssubstantially normal to one side wall and parallel to the adjacent endwall of the tank 12. The metering unit 19 is secured to the lowerportion of the plate 28 by nut and bolt assemblies 31.

A pair of arms 32 and 33 are secured to opposite corners of thehorizontal plate 27 and project upwardly therefrom. The top section ofthe arms 32 and 33 are attached to opposite ends of a cross plate 34.The arms 32 and 33' and the plate 34 form frame structure for a manifold36 extended horizontally between the arms 32 and 33. The manifold 36 hasan inlet nipple 37 for accommodating a releasable coupling connected toa source of air pressure.

A plurality of outlet tubular members 38 couple the manifold 36 withpressure regulator or flow control valves 39, 41, 42 and 43,respectively. Each flow control valve is connected to one of the tubularmembers 22 used to transport air to the metering unit 19. The flowcontrol valves function to permit the separate, regulation of the flowof air into each tubular member 22. Additional flow control valves andtubular members 38 may be carried on the cross plate 34 in accordancewith the air supply requirements of the metering unit 19.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the tubular members 22 extend into the tank 12 andproject through grommets 44 attached to the side wall of the tank.Connectors 46 couplethe ends of the tubular members 22 to the top of themetering unit 19.

The metering unit 19 is shown in detail in FIGURES 3 and 4 and comprisesa base plate 47 having lateral ears 48 receiving the nut and boltassemblies 31 for the purpose of securing the plate to the bottomsection of the support member 28. The base plate 47 has four equallyspaced radial arms. A hard flat rubber member 49 is attached to the topflat surface of the plate 47 and functions as a seal and wear ring. Atop plate 51 having four equally spaced radial arms, shown in FIGURE 3,is positioned horizontally over the radial arms of the bottom plate 47.The lower surface of the top plate 51 is flat and carries a flathardrubber member 52 facing the rubber member 49. A rotor indicatedgenerally at 53 is sandwiched between the bottom plate 47 and the topplate 51. The opposite sides of the rotor 53 are in surface engagementwith the flat hard rubber members 49 and 52, respectively. of plasticmaterial such as Teflon attached to a metal hub 56 by bolts 57.

The metal hub 56 is positioned about a vertical drive shaft 58 rotatablymounted in upright sleeve bearings 59 and 61 carried by the plates 47and 51, respectively. A transverse pin 62 drivably couples the hub 56 tothe drive shaft 58 so that on rotation of the drive shaft 58 the rotor53 rotates between and relative to the plates 47 and 51. a

The top plate 51 is attached to and guided on the bottom plate 47 byfour upright bolts 63 which slidably project through the outer endsections of the arms of the top plate. Each bolt 63 carries a washer 64held on the upper end of the bolt by a nut 66. A spring'67 is posi-.tioned between the washer 64 and the top of the plate 51 and biases theplate 51 in a downward direction toward the bottom plate 47. The foursprings 67 establish a uniform biasing force on the top plate 51 andthereby uniformly clamp the disc 54 between the hard rubber members 49and 52.

As shown in FIGURES 3 and 5, the 'disc 54 has two concentric rings ofholes 68. All of the holes 68 have identical diameters and extendaxially through the disc. The holes are equally spaced from each otherand function as cavities to carry substantially identical amounts offluid material upon rotation of the disc 54. The bottom'surface of eachof the arms of the top plate 51 has an elongated radial groove 69. Asshown in FIGURE 5, the groove 69 extends across the two concentric ringsof holes 68 and has a width which is greater than the diameter of one ofthe holes. The connectors 46 for the inlet air tubular members 22 arethreaded into the top plate 51 and open into the grooves 69 whereby theair in the tubular members 22 flows into the grooves 69 and through theholes 68 aligned with the grooves 69 into bores 71 extended through thebottom plate 47. As seen in FIGURE 3, the bores 71 are in alignment withThe rotor 53 comprises a disc 54- 4 the grooves 69. Elbow couplings 72project into the lower ends of the bores 71 and are threaded into thebase plate 47. The elbow couplings 72 are connected to the outlettubular members 23 which carry the mixture'of air and particulatematerial to the nozzle members 11 as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the drive means 21 for the shaft 58 com-prises anelectric motor 73 mounted on the top cover 24. The motor 73 is directlycoupled to a speed reducer unit 74 having an output shaft 76. The speedreducer unit 74 has a speed adjustable drive to vary the speed of theoutput shaft 76. This is accomplished by movinga control arm 77 with anadjusting screw 78. The outer end of the adjusting screw 78 has anenlarged head carrying a handle 79 which'is manually rotated to vary thespeed of the output shaft 76.

A coupling 81 connects the output shaft 76 to a right angle powertransmission unit 82 having a downwardly projected output shaft 83connected to the top of the drive shaft 58 by a coupling 84. Onoperation of the motor 73 the drive shaft 58 is rotated and therebyrotating the rotor 53 of the metering unit 19. Thus, the speed of therotor 53 may be varied by changing the speed of the output shaft 76 ofthe speed reducer unit 74.

In operation, tank 12 is provided with a supply of fluid material whichis held in a suspended state by introducing air through the air inletpassage 16 below the ceramic filter 14. As the air passes through thefilter 14 it continuously and uniformly mixes with the particulatematerial holding it in a suspended or fluidized state.

When air underpressure is connected to the inlet nipple 37 air flowsintothe manifold 36 which equalizes the air pressure supplied to the flowcontrol valves 39 to 43.

From the valves the air flows through the inlet tubular members 42 tothe elongated radial grooves 69 in each.

of the arms of the top plate 51. Since the concentric circles of holes68 in the disc 54 are in alignment with the radial grooves 69 the airflows through the holes 68 and into the bores 71 in the bottom plate 47.From the bores 71 the air flows through the elbow couplings 72 and intothe discharge outlet tubular members 23 which lead to the nozzle members11. The pressure of the air in the manifold 36 may be varied to alterand provide a high or low flow of air through the metering unit 19.Alternatively, the flow control valves 39 to 43.

may be coupled to the tubular member 23 and the nozzle members connectedto the tubular members 22. This reverses the how of air through themetering unit 19.

The fluidized material 13 is metered simultaneously into each of the airstreams which flow through the metering unit 19, by rotating the disc54. This is accomplished by energizing the electric motor 73 andadjusting the speed of the output shaft 76 and thereby adjust the speedof rotation of the disc 54. An increase in the speed of rotation of thedisc 54 produces an increase in the amount of material fed into the airstreams. Thus, by adjusting the speed of the output shaft 76 theconcentration of fluid material in the air streams can be varied. Asshown in FIGURE 3, the substantial portion of the top of each of thefour quadrants of the disc '54 is exposed to the fluidized material 13such that the material may readily enter or fall into the holes 68.

In terms of method this invention contemplates the steps of suspendingparticulate material in a continuously upwardly moving body of air. Thisis accomplished by introducing air below the ceramic filter 14 whichfunctions to discharge air at an even rate to the bottom area of theparticulate material in tank 12. As the air moves upwardly through thematerial it is suspended similar to a colloidal suspension.

The suspended particulate material is continuously collected in limitedamounts in holes 68 of the disc 54.

68 as they have top openings and bottom openings which are exposed tothe particulate material in the arcuate areas between the aligned armsof the base plate 47 and the top plate 51.

As the disc 54 rotates particulate material 13 is continuously collectedin the holes 68 and moved to a plurality of locations defined by thealigned arms of the base plate 47 and the top plate 51 for introductioninto separate streams of air. The collected material is moved as a unitat a controlled rate of speed into the separate air streams. On rotationof the disc 54 the holes 68 are continuously moved under the grooves 69whereby a controlled quantity of material is continuously fed anddischarged into the air streams. The moving air carries the material tothe discharge locations such as the nozzle members 11.

In summary, the feeding and metering apparatus of this inventionincludes a metering unit 19 operable to positively displace particulatematerial 13 into a moving carrier fluid. This displacement is eflt'ectedby a rotating disc 54 having a plurality of holes 68 for carryingpowdered material into a stream of moving air. The amount of materialmoved into the air varies with the speed of rotation of the disc 54.This provides for the regulation of the density of particulate materialcarried by the moving air stream without changing the flow rate of theair. The flow of air through the metering device 19 is dependent uponthe pressure of the air applied to the manifold 36 and can be regulatedindependently of the speed of rotation of the metering disc 54. Thus,the air pressure supplied to the nozzle members 11 may be variedindependently of the rate that the particulate material is dischargedinto the moving air. This permits the apparatus to be used with nozzleswhich do not have Venturi restrictions and permits broader designlatitude in the type of nozzles which can be used to dispense the fluidmaterial.

It is apparent that many modifications and variations of this inventionas hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spiritand scope thereof. The specific embodiments described are given by wayof example only and the invention is limited only by the terms of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for transporting metered amounts of fluid materialscomprising in combination,

(a) tank means for storing a supply of fluid material,

(b) a top wall for closing the tank means,

(0) support means secured to the top wall and projected downwardly intothe tank means,

(d) means in said tank means for suspending the material in a movingbody of air,

(e) a metering unit positioned in the tank means below the top of thefluid material for conveying said fluid material from said tank means,said metering unit including (1) a first member having a flat surfaceand at least one passage open to said surface,

(2) a second member having a flat surface and at least one passage opento said surface and in alignment With the passage in the first member,

(3) disc means positioned between the first member and the second memberand engageable with the flat surfaces thereof, said disc means having aplurality of holes for collecting fluid material, said holes arranged inat least one circle that passes between the aligned passages in thefirst member and the second member,

(4) drive means for rotating said disc means relative to said first andsecond members,

(f) means securing one of the members of the metering unit to the lowerportion of the support means,

(g) means supporting the drive means on the top wall,

(h) means for conducting a supply of air to the passage in said secondmember, and

(i) means for transporting the mixture of air and fluid material fromthe passages in the first member.

2. An apparatus for transporting metered amounts of fluid materialscomprising in combination,

(a) tank means for storing a supply of fluid material said tank meanshaving support means projected into the fluid material,

(b) a metering unit positioned in the tank means below the top of thefluid material for conveying said fluid material from said .tank means,said metering including 1) a first member having a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced radial arms, each arm havinga flat surface andat least one passage open to said surface,

(2.) a second member having a plurality of circumferentially spacedradial arms, each arm having a flat surface and at least one passageopen to said surface and in alignment with the passages in the arms ofthe first member,

(3) guide means connecting the first member with the second member forholding the second member adjacent said first member with the flatsurfaces facing each other,

(4) disc means positioned between the first member and the second memberand engageable with the flat surfaces thereof, said disc means having aplurality of holes for collecting fluid material, said holes arranged inat least one circle that passes between the aligned passages in thefirst member and the second member,

(5) drive means mounted on said tank means for rotating said disc meansrelative to said first and second members,

(0) means securing the first member to said support means,

(d) means for conducting a supply of air to the passages in said arms ofthe second member, and

(e) means for transporting the mixture of air and fluid material fromthe passages in the arms of the first member.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said metering unit includes(a) means for biasing the second member toward the first member therebyholding the disc means in sliding engagement with the flat surfaces ofthe arms of the first and second members 4. A metering unit for placingparticulate material in a plurality of streams of moving air comprising(a) a first stationary member having a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced radial arms, each arm having a flat surface and at least onepassage open to said surface,

(b) a second member having a plurality of circumferentially spacedradial arms, each arm having a flat surface and at least one passageopen to said surface and in alignment with the passage in the adjacentarm of the first member for receiving air under pressure,

(c) guide means connecting the first member with the second member forholding the second member adjacent said first member with the flatsurfaces of the arms facing each other,

((1) disc means positioned between the first member and the secondmember and engageable with the flat surfaces thereof; said disc meanshaving a plurality of holes for collecting the particulate material,said holes arranged in at least one circle that passes between thealigned passages in adjacent arms of the first member and the secondmember whereby air flows from the passages in the arms of the secondmember through holes in the disc means and into the passages in the armsof the first member,

(e) drive means for rotating said disc means relative to said first andsecond members whereby material collected in said holes is fed into theair moving through said passages.

5. The metering unit defined in claim 4 wherein said guide meansincludes (a) means for biasing the second member toward the first memberthereby holding the disc means in sliding engagement with the flatsurfaces of the arms of the first and second members.

6. The metering unit defined in claim 4 wherein said drive meansincludes (a) means for varying the speed of rotation of said disc meansto change the amount of material introduced into the moving air in agiven period of time.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first member has a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced radial arms, each arm having a fiat surface andat least one passage open to said flat surface and said second memberhas a plurality of circumferential-1y spaced radial arms, each armhaving a flat surface and at least one passage open to said flat surfaceand in alignment with the passage in the adjacent arm of the firstmember, said flat surfaces engaging opposite sides of the disc means.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said metering unit includesmeans for biasing the second member toward the first member therebyholding the disc means in.

sliding engagement with the flat surfaces of the first and secondmembers.

9. The metering unit defined in claim 2 wherein said drive meansincludes means for varying the speed of rota- References Cited by theExaminer UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,740,672 r 4/ 1956 Morrow 302492,779,634 1/1957 Atkinson et a1 30249 2,890,079 6/ 1959 Stu-mpf 302-493,203,738 8/1965 Forsyth et al 30249 ANDRES H. NIELSEN, PrimaryExaminer.

1. AN APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING METERED AMOUNTS OF FLUID MATERIALSCOMPRISING IN COMBINATION, (A) TANK MEANS FOR STORING A SUPPLY OF FLUIDMATERIAL, (B) A TOP WALL FOR CLOSING THE TANK MEANS, (C) SUPPORT MEANSSECURED TO THE TOP WALL AND PROJECTED DOWNWARDLY INTO THE TANK MEANS,(D) MEANS IN SAID TANK MEANS FOR SUSPENDING THE MATERIAL IN A MOVINGBODY OF AIR, (E) A METERING UNIT POSITIONED IN THE TANK MEANS BELOW THETOP OF THE FLUID MATERIAL FOR CONVEYING SAID FLUID MATERIAL FROM SAIDTANK MEANS, SAID METERING UNIT INCLUDING (1) A FIRST MEMBER HAVING AFLAT SURFACE AND AT LEAST ONE PASSAGE OPEN TO SAID SURFACE, (2) A SECONDMEMBER HAVING A FLAT SURFACE AND AT LEAST ONE PASSAGE OPEN TO SAIDSURFACE AND IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE PASSAGE IN THE FIRST MEMBER, (3) DISCMEANS POSITIONED BETWEEN THE FIRST MEMBER AND THE SECOND MEMBER ANDENGAGEABLE WITH THE FLAT SURFACES THEREOF, SAID DISC MEANS HAVING APLURALITY OF HOLES FOR COLLECTING FLUID MATERIAL, SAID HOLES ARRANGED INAT LEAST ONE CIRCLE THAT PASSES BETWEEN THE ALIGNED PASSAGES IN THEFIRST MEMBER AND THE SECOND MEMBER, (4) DRIVE MEANS FOR ROTATING SAIDDISC MEANS RELATIVE TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS, (F) MEANS SECURINGONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE METERING UNIT TO THE LOWER PORTION OF THESUPPORT MEANS, (G) MEANS SUPPORTING THE DRIVE MEANS ON THE TOP WALL, (H)MEANS FOR CONDUCTING A SUPPLY OF AIR TO THE PASSAGE IN SAID SECONDMEMBER, AND (I) MEANS FOR TRANSPORTING THE MIXTURE OF AIR AND FLUIDMATERIAL FROM THE PASSAGES IN THE FIRST MEMBER.